A/HRC/38/32/Add.1
teachers who meet the relevant teaching requirements. Accessibility means that the system
must be accessible to all, without geographical, economic, social or cultural discrimination,
and affirmative action must be taken to include groups that are particularly marginalized.
Acceptability means that the content of education must be relevant, non-discriminatory,
culturally appropriate and of good quality; the school environment must be healthy and safe
and the teachers must be professionals. Adaptability means that education must evolve with
the changing needs of society and help to challenge inequalities, especially gender
discrimination, and it must be able to be adapted locally to suit specific contexts.
A.
Availability
46.
With regard to funding, as previous Special Rapporteurs have pointed out,
investment in education is a human rights obligation that States must fulfil. The Ivorian
Government has approved a 10-year plan for the education and training sector for 2016–
2025, at an estimated cost of CFAF 5,246 billion for the period 2017–2020, with the aim of
providing inclusive, quality basic education for all. An additional sum of CFAF 19.1 billion
has been set aside for measures to increase the enrolment rate among girls. In 2017, a total
of CFAF 908 million was allocated to the literacy programme.
47.
In principle, for the right to education to be effectively implemented, public
education should be free, without any costs that might act as a barrier. The Education Act
provides that public school education should be free and available to all; however, some
costs, such as enrolment fees, social services and the cost of textbooks and other school
supplies, are not covered. These exceptions mean that low-income families are likely to
come into conflict with the law, because they do not have the financial means necessary to
cover the compulsory extra costs of their children’s education. Moreover, according to the
information received, in rural areas particularly, communities must sometimes contribute to
the remuneration of voluntary teachers through subsidies paid to the school management
committee, which has led UNESCO to conclude that households cover between 30 and 37
per cent of the costs of education.
Primary education
48.
Universal primary education, which has been identified as Sustainable Development
Goal 4 and a goal of the African Union, is also a key goal of the Ivorian Government. With
the support of international bodies and local stakeholders, the Government has launched a
series of initiatives relating to the renovation and construction of school infrastructure, the
training and recruitment of teachers and the purchase of teaching materials and equipment.
Secondary education
49.
The number of secondary schools has risen slightly over the past five years. The
Special Rapporteur is pleased to note that the Government allocated a budget of CFAF 333
billion to the development of secondary education in the 2016–2020 National Development
Plan. This investment will be used, in particular, for the renovation, construction and
equipment of school buildings and the recruitment of staff.
Teacher training
50.
As in many countries, the lack of qualified teachers is a challenge for the authorities;
this problem concerns all levels of the education system, including higher education. It can
also be noted that the geographical distribution of teaching staff at both primary and
secondary level is very uneven, with a high concentration of teachers in major cities.
Around 30 specialized schools help to provide training for teaching and educational support
staff, under the responsibility of the relevant ministries. The Special Rapporteur
recommends working hand in hand with universities to resolve the practical problems that
arise when dealing with large class sizes and to promote a teaching method that focuses on
the learner and on cultural values. She also recommends taking steps to increase the
prestige of the teaching profession in order to motivate teachers to perform well.
GE.18-06824
9
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